Initial Study MND - Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and ...

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Taylor MountainINITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATIONAll of the streams traversing the property are intermittent, as described in Section B.3.4(Biological Resources). However some deeper pools in the creeks with larger watersheds maysustain perennial water in years with average or above average rainfall. The most prominentstream channel on the property is Colgan Creek, sometimes referred to as Kawana SpringsCreek. The headwaters include the oak woodlands of Taylor Mountain in the central portion ofthe property. From here, the creek flows in a westerly direction adjacent to the resort and thenalong the northern property boundary before heading west to the Laguna de Santa Rosa.Within the property, this reach is characterized as being natural and meandering, narrow, andrelatively rocky with a steep gradient. Riparian trees shade the channel and provide moderatecanopy cover. Further downstream, the creek has been channelized into a flood controlchannel. Much of the lower reaches are grass or concrete-lined, or are underground with littlevegetative cover (City of Santa Rosa, 2007). Because of these features, this creek is notconsidered a critical migration corridor.Additional noteworthy stream channels on the property include a small portion of theheadwaters of Todd Creek and East Fork Todd Creek, originating in the western portion of theproperty and flowing southwesterly to the Laguna de Santa Rosa. Colgan Creek originates inthe northern portion of the property and flows directly to Santa Rosa Creek through a series ofmodified channels. All of these channels are highly disturbed, with the likely exception of theupper headwaters on Taylor Mountain.Originating on the northern slopes of Sonoma Mountain and the Taylor Mountain property,Matanzas Creek flows a short distance through the property’s southeastern corner. Thissection of creek flows to the northeast towards Galvin Community Park. This upper reach ischaracterized as being fairly natural with intact instream habitat and good canopy coverage.However, several fish barriers downstream preclude natural runs of native fish.On the Sonoma County groundwater availability map (Sonoma County, 2004), the entireproperty is shown as Zone 3 – limited groundwater area. However, the grasslands and forestsof Taylor Mountain serve as a groundwater recharge and storage area. Structurally complexvegetative cover promotes rainfall infiltration through interception and absorption. Themultitude of springs, their associated wetlands, and the grassland swales slowly release waterstored in the shallow groundwater aquifer. These hydrologic processes help support thediverse array of vegetation communities and associated wildlife found on the property andbuffer nearby urban areas from higher stormwater flows.There is a large, freshwater pond in the central portion of the property. Persistent springs withwater into late summer are also critical watering holes. The property also contains seasonalwetlands, which are described in Section B.3.4, Biological Resources.Applicable water quality regulations are described below. Development of the site will besubject to several approvals and permits related to water quality and stormwater runoff. Theregulations establishing these approvals contain requirements to ensure protection of waterquality.Final B-80 September 2012
Taylor MountainINITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATIONRegulatory SettingClean Water Act. The Clean Water Act establishes the basic structure for regulating dischargesof pollutants into the waters of the United States and has given the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) the authority to implement pollution control programs. The Clean Water Act alsocontains requirements that set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters.National Pollution Discharge Elimination System. The National Pollution Discharge EliminationSystem (NPDES) Nonpoint Source Program (established through the Clean Water Act) regulatesrunoff water quality; the objective is to control and reduce pollutants to water bodies fromnonpoint discharges. Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial andsewage treatment plants, comes from many different sources. NPS pollution is caused byrainfall moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries awaynatural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastalwaters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. The program is administered bythe North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (NCRWQCB). The Municipal SeparateStormwater Sewer System (MS4) Permit is issued by the NCRWQCB to the City of Santa Rosa,County of Sonoma and Sonoma County Water Agency. The MS4 Permit requires the use of LIDtype stormwater features as part of applicable new development. The statewide ConstructionGeneral Permit (CGP) is issued by the State Water Quality Control Board. The CGP regulatesconstruction related discharges. Coverage under the CGP is required for any constructionactivity that will, or is part of, a “common plan” of development that will disturb one or moreacres and has the potential to have a discharge of stormwater to a water body of the UnitedStates.Section 404 and 401 Permits. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act establishes programs toregulate the discharge of dredged and fill material in waters of the U.S., including wetlands.When an application for a Section 404 permit is made the applicant must show it has: Taken steps to avoid wetland impacts where practicable; Minimized potential impacts on wetlands; and Provided compensation for any remaining unavoidable impacts through activities to restoreor create wetlands.Wetlands are addressed in Section B.3.4 of this IS/MND. In order for any work to be completedaround the various surface water bodies, Section 401 of the Clean Water Act would beapplicable. Section 401 requires any applicant for a federal permit that conducts any activitythat may result in a discharge of pollutants to first obtain a Water Quality Certification (WQC)from the NCRWQCB.State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SWRCB and the nine RWQCBs throughoutCalifornia regulate water quality in surface and groundwater bodies. The SWRCB regulateswater quality through the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act of 1969. Porter-Cologne contains acomplete framework for the regulation of waste discharges to both surface waters andgroundwaters of the state.September 2012 B-81 Final
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Initial Study MND - Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and ...

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